The Paths of JSTC
by Toggle Boy Gray
Summary: Not everyone can be a hero. But even heroes have the most unlikely of origins. A Thief that searches for his personal treasure. The Mute who wants to forget the past. A Knight that wants to protect the innocent. The Avenger that will not stop until her goal is achieved. Because each justice is their own.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer****: The following is a non-profit fanfiction parody. Everything about Rwby is owned by Monty Oum and Roosterteeth. The OCs belong to me. Please support the official release. **

Chapter 1: Meetings and Greetings

'Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all,' Jo thought to himself. He was walking around what he assumed was an airship headed toward Beacon Academy. Instead of waiting patiently in the spot that he designated for himself, he had taken to wandering around the internal workings of the aerial transport. He had already gotten bored staring at the endless abyss of blue, and further sightseeing of the endless blue would put him to sleep. Hence the reason for his wandering.

He probably shouldn't have let that Ozpin guy strong-arm him into this situation. 'I mean, what kind of guy of my reputation would be caught going to a school?' Then again, that grumpy witch wannabe was staring daggers at him. That, combined with how she was tightly gripping the crop in her hand, made a heavy argument against him. He was probably better off not trying to pick a fight at the time.

He decided to put aside his thoughts until later, continuing his little tour. Like he had done before this predicament, he began to observe those around him, making a mental list of who was interesting and who wasn't. It wasn't a very big list at the moment.

The majority that made it on to the interesting list consisted of mainly girls. One was obviously younger than everyone else, her sister, a faunus hidden in plain sight, a seemingly wimpy blond, two chicks decked in armor, a cloaked figure, two childhood friends(?), and a quiet guy that just sat back and observed everything. It was the last one that he decided to strike a conversation with.

"Hey, how's it going? I'm Jo," he asked in a way he hoped did not seem intruding and rude.

The short white-haired boy looked at him then tilted his head, wondering why this stranger was suddenly talking to him. Focusing on the taller boy, he was shocked and a little amused to see what he was wearing.

Jo was currently wearing a dark gray kimono with ridiculously long sleeves, its bottom cut off over the knees. His shins sported a pair of black leg warmers, while his feet were adorned with socks and a unique pair of sandals. Taking notice of his face, he noted eyes of dark brown and shoulder length black hair that seemed to want to go outward, resulting in what he called side points.

As he was being observed, Jo also took to account the shorter boy's attire. On his head was some oversized beret, haphazardly worn at a tilted angle. A scarf of deep red circled his neck, ending at a sharp twisted angle that gave it a nightmarish look. Curiously enough he was wearing an orange undershirt under a green jacket with a single black stripe that ran along each sleeve. The rest of his clothing was not worth mentioning, aside from a shoulder strap that seemed to be carrying some bulky object on his back. And how his hair covered his right eye. It didn't give an emo vibe and seemed a part of his character, something that screamed 'this is me.'

Focusing back on the conversation, or lack of one once it was noticed, Jo couldn't help but grow uneasy at the silence and the piercing stare he was being given. But he decided not to back down and challenged the stare with one of his own.

"…"

"…"

It would take a few minutes, but finally Jo gave in to the itching pains, silently cursing his burnings eyes while simultaneously rubbing at the tears. If he had his eyes open still, he would have noticed the almost imperceptible twitch from his opponent's mouth as he rubbed at his own eyes.

'Well I guess he passes my test,' the smallish boy thought.

"…Trent."

Jo looked up in surprise to see the boy, now named Trent, holding his hand out to him. Grinning, Jo took the hand and both gave a firm shake. It seemed as if a beautiful friendship had been born. Or an unholy alliance of disastrous proportions. But that remains to be seen.

"Alright Trent, seems like you're my first friend here. Mind if I call you bro?" Nod. "Awesome! Now what do we do until we finally land?"

"…"

"You don't really talk much do you?" Shake. "Figured as much. Is it because you only speak if it's critical or not to waste words on fools?" Nod. "To the former or latter?" Nod. "Okay, now you're just being a smartass."

Unknown to the two boys, they had missed the announcement that had been given out to the students from the hologram Glynda Goodwitch. Not that they needed to hear what she had said. It wasn't because they were arrogant. They just knew where there priorities were at.

Seeing the blonde from earlier, a Cheshire grin appeared as Jo decided to play a prank on him. Until said blonde threw up all over the floor. Taking pity on the newly named Vomit Boy, he shifted his attention back to the other passengers to see one of the armored girls giving him a curious look. He quickly turned away, afraid that he may know the meaning behind it. He didn't need anyone questioning what a guy like him was doing headed toward Beacon.

Trent on the other hand wandered off at some point after the puking incident. He needed fresher air after all. Not that Jo minded at all. He never saw him leave at any rate.

Walking at a sedate pace, Trent took to staring at the other students, unnerving some and causing others to wave at him. Strangely enough he went and gave a return wave before going on to the next person. The only thing that had thrown him off as he was doing this were who the waves came from. All from girls.

He let out a sigh, barely there, but still a sigh. If he knew anything about some of the looks he had been given, he was sure that he had stupidly painted a target on himself. If he had stayed in a corner, he would have avoided any attention given. Trent decided to blame it on Jo and the blonde. The former for engaging him in conversation and the latter for forcing him to vacate his last location on the ship.

Deciding to stick with the initial plan, he backed himself into a heavily shadowed corner, unknowingly mirroring a cloaked figure and a girl sporting a black bow. All saw the other, but none acknowledged the other. Except Trent. He gave both a very short nod before nodding off. Polite bastard.

'Might as well get some rest before arriving,' he figured. Smart nonetheless.

* * *

Aside from the meeting and the vomit, the rest of the flight had been uneventful. As Trent began to stir, he only had a moment to register the turquoise eyes looking into his own before a short gasp came from his mouth, followed by a concussion caused by the wall that impeded his retreating form.

"Aww, he woke up," the orange-haired girl whined to herself.

"Nora, don't bother the other students. It's not enough that you had to mess with the pilots."

The girl pouted before appearing behind the owner of the new voice.

Trent couldn't help but blink in surprise. 'How did she-'

"Ren. Lie Ren," the new person said as he introduced himself.

Trent gave him his customary nod and made to walk away, until he was grabbed from behind by Ren.

"Thank you," he said to Trent. Receiving a confused look, he went on to explain himself. "Nora's been a bit more hyper than usual," he said while throwing a glance at the girl who was now spinning with a girl wearing some heavy armor. "As soon as she saw you she just sat there staring and occasionally giggling from time to time."

"!?"

Both turned again to the girl, one in amusement and one in slight embarrassment. She had now taken to swinging from the various pipes and panels attached to the ceiling, laughing without a care in the world. Both couldn't help but chuckle, albeit one was in doing it in his own mind.

"By the way, Trent-"

The amusement in both their eyes suddenly died, as the smaller of the two boys gave him a questioning glare.

"…" The unspoken question was clear: How do you know me? There was also an implied 'why.'

"Ah, um, Jo told me your name."

And just like that the cold atmosphere dissipated. The students who were suddenly struck with fear by the sudden changes continued to look for the source, while others settled back into relief at the return of the warmth.

"…Hm?

Ren stared quietly at his companion for a moment. "You don't talk much do you?" He only received a nod this time.

"Hm." Strike that. He gets a hum of recognition as well.

"Well, Jo said that he would be waiting for you when we landed. He also said that he would wander a bit before trying to find you."

The silent boy nodded again before leaving Ren by himself. Suddenly he paused as if contemplating, then turned back and waved at his new male acquaintance. Again he waved, this time toward the ceiling. Ren looked back to see a grinning Nora enthusiastically waving back, before her waving motions caused her to fall to the floor.

THUMP!

Both boys winced as her bottom hit the metal flooring of the ship. Tears began to gather in Nora's eyes before the inevitable happened. Trent backed away as Ren-

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The sudden outburst and shockwave that ensued knocked Ren into a wall, where he stayed, continuing to stare at Nora. His eyes went back to Trent, hoping to ask him for help before he noticed something. Well, the lack of something.

Trent was gone. And he wasn't there to deal with the aftermath of HIS actions. This moment was one of very few in which Ren became upset with another person. It was also one in which he decided that Trent did this on purpose.

Sighing, he picked himself back up to help out Nora. His mind, however, began to think of various ways to pay back the seemingly mute boy. Oh, there would be hell to pay. And Nora would be a part of it.

As she was being helped up, Nora suddenly quieted down. Ren was about to ask, when she suddenly shifted her eyes all around her before suddenly setting them back on Ren. A moment or two passed, Ren increasingly growing nervous and Nora continuing to stare him down. She finally voiced what was plaguing her.

"Where's the cute sleepyhead?"

* * *

Before boarding the ship, Sora let out a big sigh. She was finally leaving her home behind her. She didn't want to think that she was letting everyone down, but she couldn't help but remember the dirty looks and harsh whispers that the elders had given her as she left. She couldn't help but drop her shoulders a little lower.

Finally inside the airship, she was not surprised to see the other soon-to-be students milling around the interior, many choosing to place themselves closer to the windows. Sora couldn't help but do the same; she had always been fond of overlooking places.

Looking down below, she was glad that everyone and everything appeared smaller than they actually were. She couldn't see the town she had left. She couldn't see the very few friends that she had left behind. And she couldn't see the tears that she was shedding. Unfortunately someone else could.

"Are you crying?"

A comforting hand came to rest on her shoulder while the face of a girl came into view. "Are you alright?"

Quickly wiping at the small trails of water that came from her eyes, she responded with a quick shake of her head.

"No. I mean-yes. I'm fine."

She turned around to see another girl around her age. Noticing her green eyes and red hair, her eyes unsurprisingly began to roam around.

The girl in front of her had quite the athletic build. Her equipment seemed to consist of a lance and a shield, her armor of greaves and a bracer on one arm. Her eyes went back to her face and widened in shock.

"You're Pyrrha Nikos!"

Pyrrha could only smile and nod. Being a celebrity in Vytal, she adapted to people's reactions in record time. No matter where she went she would always be recognized. It was always hard to find people who could see her as just herself than as the somewhat famous person that she had become.

"You're on the front of cereal boxes!" Really hard to find.

Sora could only gape the girl in front of her. Pyrrha Nikos was talking to her. Pyrrha Nikos was looking at her.

Pyrrha Nikos just saw her cry.

She abruptly faced a corner, a rain cloud forming above her head while her finger traced circles in the ground. Onlookers could only stare in wonderment at this unnatural phenomenon. Even Pyrrha's mouth was slightly agape. The only person that found this quite normal was a strangely dressed boy with shoulder length black hair. That person then walked off to find more interesting people.

"Great, now she's gonna think that I'm a big crybaby," Sora mumbled to herself, unaware that Pyrrha and a hooded figure that shifted in the shadow (which was conveniently near Sora's corner) could hear every word.

"…it's alright to cry when you're happy."

Pyrrha and Sora's heads almost snapped in their haste to look at the new arrival. Not that any of them could discern anything from the cloak. I was that good at doing its job.

The only thing that the girls were able to see was the bottom half of the apparition's face, the rest hidden by the darkness from the hood's shadow. Radiating indifference, if the identified mouth was anything to go by, the unknown third-party left as suddenly as it had appeared. Both couldn't help but try to find the cloaked character. The only evidence that could be seen was the fabric of the cloak that immediately disappeared from view.

They stared for some time at the corner from which the intruder had once occupied. Finally Sora snapped out of it, talking to herself once more as she took a up a contemplative pose.

"How did that person know that I was happy?"

"You were happy?

Startled, Sora jumped at the voice of THE Pyrrha Nikos. If they were going to be together in a school for a couple of years, she really had to get it together.

After taking a couple of deep breaths she turned back to Pyrrha, who was now wearing a nervous smile. Sora smiled back before starting her narrative.

"Yeah, I am happy. I mean, I was before I left but…"

_Flashback_

_I lived in a small village that was quite a ways from where we departed. It was not as popular as other places and not as well-known, but it was home to me._

_When I was a little girl, I has always lived such a carefree lifestyle. I was always outside with the few children that also lived in my small village. With the lack of adult supervision, we became notorious as troublemakers and nuisances, the local entertainment for everyone. And everyone was happy. Or so I had thought._

_One of the younger boys had chanced on some bandits during one of our hide-and-seek sessions. His curiosity got the best of him, and he went out to strike a conversation with them._

_No one knew what was said between the two parties, but what followed would lead everyone to believe that it was something that could have possibly killed us all._

_It was not a day later when someone had their store of food emptied. No one took it seriously, as people always lost food to animals, especially with the approaching winter._

_Only I and one elder were concerned. Together we noticed the one detail that everyone else had overlooked: the storeroom was clean. If it were the work of a non-humanoid, the place would have been ruined. No, the place was left emptied with no sign of a forced break-in._

_And with that small clue, the elder swiftly called a meeting with the rests of the adults in town. You could call them oblivious to detail, but you couldn't call them stupid. Everyone present knew the consequences if they were up against any type of human threat. The village was too small to stand up to any number of enemies. There was so much to lose, and almost nothing to gain. It was with that mindset that they did the only thing that came to mind: they hired a Hunter._

_Though a Hunter by title, the man that showed was unimpressive to say the least. All he would do for the next two weeks was work around the village. And boy did he work. If one was unfamiliar with the settlement, they would have sworn that that Hunter was one of us. Until they took a closer look at him._

_His head was shaven, and his clothes were similar to those who were constantly traveling. The only thing that stuck out from his appearance were the sword and shield hanging from his waist._

_And it was at the end of the second week that they would be put to the test._

_As the sun was finally beginning to set, a light appeared outside the village. Then two. Then ten._

_Everyone realized what was happening, and everyone was ushered inside. By a strange twist of fate I had ended up in the current lodgings of the hired Hunter._

_Looking outside, I was shocked to see that the Hunter was already surrounded by 15 men. I wanted to scream to him, to tell him to run away. The only thing that stopped me was that he had already begun to move._

_As the first wave consisting of five men charged him at varying angles, the Hunter had dashed forward, shield at the ready and sword in hand. What came next was a shock to all that saw it._

_Two men hurtled toward the ground as they bounced off the Hunter's shield, casualties of the suicide charge. The others could only gape, dumbstruck at the recklessness of this tactic. Until a sword was swung in a wide arc, knocking away the blades of four more bandits. The ensuing cries of those bandits allowed the Hunter to swing his shield, catching three more unawares and unconscious._

_Nine men were out of the fight. Five by knockout and four by disarming (curiously those that were disarmed were causing a loud racket, complaining of the jarring force from the sword's contact). But it didn't mean that the fight was over._

_The six remaining rogues that were farther from the fight grinned, as each one took out a different sidearm and pointed it at the Hunter. The grins seeped away as they saw their 'practice target' mirror a grin on his own face. Taking this as arrogance from his little victory, each one shot at him. And then they immediately stopped. No point in wasting bullets I guess._

_What was supposed to be a bullet-riddled corpse turned into a nightmare for the last of the bandits. The Hunter was alright, no scratches on him or anything! The only thing that I caught was a very faint light surrounding him._

_He looked bored as he placed his sword and shield together. The shield wrapped around the blade of the sword, as a chain released from the hilt of the sword. The remaining bandits all had the same thought as the odd flail knocked them out in a single swing: 'What the hell!?'_

_Everything after that was a blur. People ran out to apprehend the downed criminals, families separated during this were reunited in loud cries, and the elders went up to the Hunter to congratulate him._

_End Flashback_

"So, I guess that the Hunter became a role model for me," Sora finished, scratching at her cheek in embarrassment.

Pyrrha could only stare at the girl in front of her before several questions assaulted her mind and came out her mouth.

"How did you know the boy spoke with the bandits?"

"Because I was there."

Pyrrha frowned. "What happened to the boy after the attack?"

"He disappeared."

And the final question. "Who was that boy to you?"

Sora's body froze for a moment. Turning her head toward the window, looking out to the school they had finally arrived at, before continuing in a heavy voice,

"He was…my best friend."

Both females chose to remain silent for the next few moments. One to take in all that she had heard, the other to forget the ghosts of her past.

"Sorry for dumping all this on you," Sora shyly said. She had been so caught up in her storytelling that she had forgotten exactly who she was speaking to.

"It's alright. It was very engaging. Besides, it's nice to learn new things about your friends."

Sora stopped. Eyes widened then turned to the red-headed girl who was now smiling cheerfully with closed eyes.

"You consider me your friend?" she asked in a hopeful voice.

"Well, sure!" Pyrrha beamed. "No one bares their heart to any random stranger now, do they?

"Ahahahahah…" Sora weakly laughed. She really hoped that she hadn't been doing that. As far as she knew, this was the first time that she had.

"Well, we're at Beacon now. It would be best if we were to leave now."

Sora looked around to find the once bustling corridor empty of all inhabitants aside from her and Pyrrha.

"What the!? When did everyone leave!? Hurry up, we have to go before the ship decides to leave with us in it!"

Taking Pyrrha's hand, both couldn't help but smile, excitingly anticipating their arrival into Beacon.

Weiss Schnee was in a very horrible mood today. The reason? Her father.

Like every day that had passed since her birth, Weiss decided to sleep in. Until a very irate father, yelling and swearing, came by the room's connecting hallway. It was safe to say that she was too irritated by the man's cursing and volume to fall asleep.

It was revealed at breakfast (which consisted strangely of Pumpkin Pete's Cereal) that her father explained to her the recent robbery that had occurred at one of the company storehouses.

"I mean, it's not enough that the White Fang had to mess with that train, now some unknown thief has the audacity, nay, the balls to swipe dust from right under our noses!?"

And from there the tirade continued. Apparently the thief was supposed to be apprehended in another warehouse, albeit abandoned, just a couple buildings over. Unfortunately for him (Mr. Schnee, not the thief), the 'incompetent law enforcement' were too slow, resulting in the escape of the thief.

"But what about the lien I heard that was left behind?"

Yes, curiously enough, lien that was equal to the amount of dust stolen, plus the one-day express delivery fee, was found in the emptied dust cases. Along with the money came a note.

_Hello! Just wanted to make n early pickup! Pleasure doing business with you! –The Thief of Morals ;D_

"It's not about the money!" the elder Schnee said furiously. "It's about-"

"The message it sends?"

"Exactly! As expected of my daughter!"

Weiss couldn't help but puff up her chest in pride. It was not often that her father praised her. Strangely enough, it only seemed to happen when he was about to finish a thought.

"When people find out that, and they will, their trust in us will go down the drain. We'll lose money in stocks, and our backers-well, let's just say they won't be backing us anytime soon."

He paused, then looked at his daughter with a scrutinizing gaze. "What do you think I should do now?"

The question, though sudden, did not get pass Weiss. Neither did its hidden meaning: _What would YOU do?_

Weiss thought for only a moment before she voiced her answer.

"Damage control," she said with a grimace. If the news was going to get out anyway, might as well limit the severity of the case and downplay any loss taken. It also helped to restrict any information that would go out to the public.

Mr. Schnee couldn't help but smile. "That's my girl!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands like a little child. However, he couldn't help but let out a sigh as his attention turned back toward his daughter.

"Honestly, I can't begin to understand why you would want to become a Huntress. God knows that you'd be better at the business than me." At this his eyes twinkled. "Then again, you are still considered the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company," he said with a smirk.

Breakfast finished, Weiss left the table, a tick of frustration on her head. All her belongings were already in the car, so all she had to do was get in.

"Wait! Come back! You still didn't kiss daddy goodbye!"

Let it not be said that Mr. Schnee didn't love her daughter.

Weiss mulled over the files of the break-in. She had another twenty minutes before she arrived at Beacon, so she decided to spend the time researching this so-called 'Thief of Morals.' She was really doing her homework, if the papers strewn everywhere were anything to go by.

The guy had apparently been robbing people blind for the past three years. Anything before that was blank. Almost as if the guy just appeared out of nowhere.

There was not much to go by except for a blurry picture from a camera that was in operation during the robbery. The still image showed a dark-haired male that was running past the camera. What caught Weiss off guard was the clothing he had on.

The man was dressed in a sky blue kimono, sporting white leg warmers and sandals of a sort. People must have been blind if they couldn't recognize an idiot like this walking away from the scene of a crime.

Weiss came to a conclusion. This guy was clearly stupid. Taking that into account, it wouldn't be too long till he struck again. And if he tried to steal from the Schnee Dust Company, she would be there to personally beat his nose into the concrete.

On the airship, Jo let out a sneeze.

**Author's Notes:**

Hi guys, hoped you enjoyed this chapter of whatever I happened to name this. Gotta say, my respect for the fanfic authors skyrocketed while writing this. If not mentioned earlier, this IS a first time fanfic. My first, anyways. Don't know when I'll update; might be sporadically, but hopefully every 2-3 weeks.

I'm gonna apologize for the jumpy story. This is gonna create a lotta plot holes and what not, but just roll with it. Sadly the story will focus mainly on the two OC males, with hinted harem. You know someone's writing first time when they try to write harem right off the bat. Oh, and as for the males: no yaoi. Only implied, meaning it doesn't exist but everyone else is free to think otherwise.

On a side note, saw that the name that I am planning to use for the team is already being used by another fanfic author. Props to you **xxxAristotlexxx**. Check out his story **The Black Knight**. I haven't yet, but will get to it eventually.

Other stories are in the works, including crack, SI, X-overs, and more. So expect slow updates as I try to research all the necessary info on everything.

In conclusion R and R. Oh, and give out the criticism. My English is such garbage right now, so any advice and suggestions are much appreciated. On that note: Enjoy your day! (Or night. That's when I usually read anyways.)


	2. Chapter 2: First Days School Daze

**Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY. Or the references either. And neither do you! Unless you're Monty, Roosterteeth, or anyone mentioned in passing. Kudos to you good sirs.**

Chapter 2:

Jo was having a good day. He made a new friend, got to see some unique people, and arrived at Beacon without any mishaps! Nothing could possibly ruin his good mood. Well, except the situation he was in now.

"Where am I?"

Contrary to his own beliefs, Jo could not be trusted in guiding people. The only way he got to wherever he happened to be going was if he had a clear destination. Right now he only had to get to the school. After that he didn't have a clue on where to go next. Looking around, he decided to do the next best thing: Follow people.

He eyed the silhouettes in front of him and frowned. Everyone else seemed to be milling around here as well. Except the small group that just ran off with the blond girl from the ship. What was there hurry?

Searching the dust clouds they had left behind, Jo kept watching as another interesting event started under his gaze.

"What are you doing?!"

Someone new had shown up, and this person was added to the invisible list of interesting people. Jo couldn't help but snicker as the action unfolded in front of him. From what he could tell, the pale girl was upset at the girl in red for tripping all over her cases of dust. He couldn't help but smirk as the frustrated female began to shake one of the dust bottles in front of the target of her ire.

'This should be good.'

BOOM/FWOOSH/KRSSH!

'Ahh, the sweet smell of explosion.'

Snickering into his hand, he was caught off guard as a hand smacked across his back, the owner's laughter joining his now interrupted giggles.

"Ha ha ha, look at that! Now that's what I call a cat fight!" the new voice shouted with glee. How the two girls ('No, three,' Jo noted mentally, seeing a newcomer) were unable to hear the loud boisterous calls of his new acquaintance eluded even Jo's expectations. Were the girls stuck in their own little world? Everyone in his field of vision let out a sneeze. Jo could only sigh.

Turning to face the source of his interruption, Jo was met with another guy, whose chuckles were now beginning to die down. This new person's hair was some shade of orange, his attire consisting of some light armor that covered his larger build. Jo pondered about the various reasons why most of the students lacked some sort of protection. He didn't need any of course, but that didn't mea-

"Hey, buddy? You okay there? Remnant to funny dressed guy? Helloo-"

Two hands suddenly gripped Cardin's shoulders, turning him to face Jo. Met with the eyes of a demon and the smile of a devil, half of Cardin couldn't help but think that maybe he touched upon a sensitive subject. The other half quickly overpowered that thought and told him that it didn't matter at this point, seeing as how the look he was given promised a significant amount of pain.

"And what seems to be funny about my clothes? Hmm?" Jo asked as he tilted his head in an innocent manner that contradicted his vice-like grip.

Cardin looked around, trying to find anything to get him out of the situation. There were the girls, now separating from the finished argument. There were some guys with armor similar to his. And finally there were the ever-present silhouettes around him, whose purpose still escaped him. It was at that moment that his mind came up with something that could actually seem smart. His mind didn't have too many of those moments, so it was quite the accomplishment for him.

"Uh, no one else has whatever it is you're wearing?

Jo frowned and began to search the crowd. Noticing the lack of kimono, his gaze softened but was still narrowed. He turned back to the frightened Cardin and released his grip on him. The other backed up a couple of steps to make sure he wouldn't be caught in another death grip. This new kid was scary!

"You're right," Jo finally said. 'Heathens,' he thought.

Cardin let out a breath of relief that he didn't know he was holding. "W-well, yeah. Your clothes are pretty, uh, different. I couldn't help but point it out?"

"Yup! These babies are one of a kind. I guess it would be shocking if someone else had the same exact clothes that I had!" Jo replied with an about-face in personality. Unsaid was the fact that Jo meant his current kimono, custom-made from his own stock of equipment. The effort and resources that made his particular attire ensured its superiority to other kimonos.

Caught off guard by the sudden change of attitude, Cardin jumped when Jo stuck his hand out to him. With a wary stance, Cardin slowly stuck his own hand out and slowly shook Jo's.

"Jo De La Crux. Future Hunter, Ex-Convict, and purveyor of exclusive goods."

"What? Oh! Uh, Cardin Winchester! Er…the guy who's gonna kick your ass later!"

'Looks like someone's got back there cockiness.'

"Looking forward to it!" Jo grinned.

Cardin couldn't help but smirk back at him. For some reason, he felt that Jo would become the source of future entertainment.

With introductions finished, he shoved Jo out of the way to make his way to the auditorium that the students had to gather at. If he was lucky, he'd be able to scope out the rest of the students without dying. Jo wasn't an enemy, no, but if Cardin wasn't careful he may become one later.

Jo watched as Cardin left, similar thoughts running through his own mind. He was here to find information, not stir up trouble (that was something to do when he was bored). The only way to do that was to build his human info net. Making an enemy would just be detrimental to that. It really was a wonder how he didn't have the whole world gunning for his death yet.

As soon as Cardin was gone, Jo couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. It may have been the two sets of eyes glaring daggers at him. It may have been that he hadn't seen his friend Trent for quite some time. Or it was probably the new thought that hit him like a brick to the face. A very unpleasant feeling if he remembered correctly.

'Damn, I'm still lost, aren't I?'

* * *

In another area of the immense school, Trent was having as much luck as Jo did trying to find the auditorium. He had wandered the campus close to a half hour now, and he was now beginning to get frustrated. Not that the other students could see it on his nearly permanent stoic face. But he still gave out some signs of being upset that could only be caught if someone was attentive enough.

"What's wrong?" Of course him walking around like a lost child might have attracted said attention.

Trent turned toward the sky and frowned, before facing the black-bowed girl from the ship. She was giving him a probing look, as if she couldn't help but be suspicious. All faunus were like this when meeting him for the first time. He knew the reason for it as well. He just couldn't be bothered to give it out to people who didn't trust him from the get go. Or those who hid their own identities.

He turned to leave, but her hand grabbed onto his and held tightly. It looked like he wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. Oh well, might as well find out where the auditorium was at.

He turned back to the faunus, only to find a familiar set of eyes a couple of inches from his own. He didn't jump this time, a testament to his adaptability; he had grown accustomed to this fairly quick, an impressive feat according to a figure that also decided to join the growing group.

"Ren! I found him!" Nora cried out.

This time Trent did jump, startled by the girl's shout, its close vicinity enhancing its effect. The faunus had somehow let go of him by this point, sparing herself from any piercing cries. Staggered by the scream of delight, Trent was unable to put up a fight when Nora took his arms and began to spin with him. If that wasn't bad enough, she began to pick up speed, eventually lifting him off the ground. With his legs trailing out behind him, Trent and Nora were a comical sight to behold. It would be later christened as the "Human Top" incident.

"Pfft." That was the faunus.

'_Serves you right_.' And that was the now smirking Ren.

Both chuckled at Trent's expense, enjoying the sight of the seemingly emotionless boy's peril. When they finally did notice each other, it was Ren who initiated the conversation.

"So how do you know Tre-"

CRASH!

Heads snapped to the source of the unexpected cacophony, not expecting to see a spinning trashcan that had grown legs. As the spinning finally stopped, the audience winced as the sounds of retching were heard from inside the bipedal bin. After some silence, some mumbling could be heard from the canned mute. How the thing was still standing was a mystery to everyone.

Nora, strangely enough, had disappeared from the scene of the crime. Whether it was from embarrassment, shame, or the sheer hilarity of the moment was anyone's guess. And it was at that moment that Jo decided to come in unannounced.

"Trent! Where are you? Do you know where the auditorium is?"

"If he knew where it was, don't you think that he would have been there already?" Ren asked, eyebrow raised.

"What are you talking about Ren? Trent would never leave his bro behind," Jo said with a pout, crossing his arms in front of him like a spoiled child that had heard something it didn't like.

"…Aniki," Trent responded from his upper can.

Ren, Jo, Nora (unseen), and the black-clothed faunus raised their respective eye at this, each for their own reasons.

"Wait, what? Trent, I don't speak gibberish. You guys really hit his head hard, huh?"

"Don't quote me on this, but I think that he may have said 'bro' back in a different language," Ren replied

"Japanese to be exact. You're right, but it's not a strict translation," clarified the black-bowed beauty.

Both turned to the only girl present, one with a grin and the other with a cocked head. She blushed at the attention and almost didn't hear Jo ask another question.

"So who are you supposed to be?"

Gathering her wits she replied with a short, "Blake." And with that, the introduction of those present began.

"De la Crux!" Jo proudly proclaimed, hands on his hips.

"Lie Ren." said Ren, calm and cool as always.

"…Trent." Went the trashcan.

"NORA!"

"AHH!"/"!"

Nora appeared once again, this time in the middle of the gathering, causing all but the canned prisoner to introduce their rears to the floor. Not a pleasant experience, but a necessary one for anyone that was to meet with the sweet hyperactive girl.

"JESUS! Ren! Control your woman! …and whose name did I say?" Jo yelled, demanded, and questioned as he got up.

"Ok, one: she's NOT my woman. Second: I don't know who you're talking about." Ren replied with his face in his palm. It felt that things had gotten even crazier than usual after he had met his two new male acquaintances. Especially with Trent, he blamed most of it on him for attracting Nora's attention. She was never this active in the past!

Speaking of the blur of white and pink, she had finally taken her victim out of the trashcan and was currently petting his head. Trent was now placed on her lap, which was not that hard, seeing that he was smaller than everyone present. Oddly enough, Trent had no trace of garbage or puke on him; the stench of both was also nonexistent. We'll just chalk this up to the wonders of aura for the sake of moving along the plot, shall we?

Trent again frowned at the sky; or at least attempted to. Nora's hands were more forceful than they looked, keeping the boy's head facing forward at the various stages of grins on everyone's faces. There was only one way out of this that he could figure. Looking at Blake, he made the most piteous expression that he could muster. Unfortunately, given his ever-stoic face, all he could accomplish was a tilt of the head and a sad face.

"…help?"

Again, to his misfortune, the face he was now making only further enhanced the cuteness of his predicament, rendering Blake a blushing mess. She averted her eyes from his, afraid that she would be knocked out from moé overload. Disheartened, inside at least, Trent turned to his next acquaintance for help, only to see the satisfied smirk on Ren's face. He faced his last hope. Surely he could save him from petting hell/heaven?

"…Aniki? Help?" Huh, two words. I think that's a record.

As he frowned again Jo stood still, trembling for a moment before catching everyone's attention.

"Nora!"

Her head snapped up. Her hand didn't stop its ministrations, but at least Jo had her attention.

"Find the auditorium! There are people there! Go!"

Everyone was still, a wind blowing past the group of somewhat friends. All but Nora had the same thought running through their head.

'_There's no way that will ever wor_-'

"Yay! People! Let's go Ren!"

Holding Trent in one hand, she grabbed Ren by the neck of his tailcoat and proceeded to haul both toward, what the rest of the company presumed, the direction of the auditorium. Seeing as misery loves company, Ren caught Jo, who in turn managed to latch a hand onto Blake's bow. The last one slapped her own hands over her head in a desperate attempt to hide what hid beneath the bow. This however made it easier for the party to drag her along.

"…honestly, I didn't think that that would have really worked," Jo voiced over the wind that rushed past them in their wake.

"Everyone thought it!" Ren shouted, hands over the neck of his clothes, stopping Nora's attempts of choking/strangling him to an unintentional death.

"…smart."

"I don't care! Just stop! My bow's going to tear!"

Blake's wish was granted a second later, courtesy to the mass of students that made an effective blockade for the Nora-powered human train. As our group of ragtag acquaintances were sent flying, the students they knocked down tried to get up in various states of anger

"SONOVABITCH!"

"Ah! My rifle!"

"I was pushed, and I am on the ground…I think that I am alright."

"Who's touching my le~eg!"

"Damn it! Stop making everything awkward!"

"You guys suck!"

The fight that was about to happen never came to pass. Before a punch could be thrown (or shot fired), it was reported that a blur of green and coffee reprimanded the students before leaving again just as abruptly. Every person their stood in confusion, the reason of their anger lost upon them. Said reason, however, was now separated in the auditorium in various states of dazed confusion.

* * *

"Ow my aching everything," Jo said as he looked at the ceiling. Wait, ceiling?

Getting to his feet, he was surprised to see his friends gone, replaced by an endless sea of strangers. He took a step back in shock before realization hit him.

"I made it to the auditorium?"

"Yes, you did. Now shut up."

Jo made to make a retort until he saw who he was talking to. Covered in an unrealistic dark blue cloak was the person from the airship.

"Honestly, what the hell were you idiots thinking? We're training to be Hunters, not some half ass comedy group."

"…I may be wrong, but I could have sworn you were a dude. Did your voice change due to hitting reverse puberty, or do you just have an unset voice range?"

"Someone thought that it would be funny to give me the voice of a black cat," she responded.

"I don't follow."

Jo's head twisted and turned, trying to pinpoint the potential locations of his fallen, or rather collapsed, comrades. He paid no mind to the glares burning into his skull. Which was also why he failed to notice the hooded girl slinking away ever so silently. Not that it made a difference in an auditorium packed with a bunch of rambunctious teens. But it was the principle of the sneaking that counted.

Jo had almost given up hope, until his eyes locked with the one person who didn't want to be near him.

_'Oh, shi-'_

"Cardin, yo! Mind if I hang out with you for a bit?" It was not a good day to be Cardin Winchester.

* * *

Elsewhere in the auditorium, Trent was sprawled in a dead man's float. On the flooring of linoleum tiles. Delightful.

He decided at that moment that he didn't care anymore, laying on the floor as still as possible in order not to disturb anyone. Fate however ignored him, and Trent slowly felt himself being put back on his feet. The almost silent groan he had made was unnoticed, his _savior_ instead focusing her attention to his well-being.

"Are you alright?" Standard question.

"…" Typical reply.

"You don't talk much do you?" Trent lazily rolled his eyes. Was he really going to get this response from everyone who would meet him for the first time?

"ACHOO!" …Trent really hated his life right now.

He then felt his jacket being tugged; naturally, he turned back to the girl, finally giving his reply.

Nod.

"…so you're okay?" Nod. "And you don't talk much?" Nod. "Okaaay…so I'm Sora…" she nervously trailed off, not knowing how to handle Trent's lack of speech. She had never met anyone this quiet before. It was quite the unsettling moment for her.

"Hm."

"Ummm…so what's your-"

"Ahem."

Idle chatter, empty gossip, and meaningless talk halted at the interruption. All motion had stopped, and all eyes were now focused on the Headmaster of Beacon. And, similarly to the cloaked figure from the ship, Trent slipped into the masses. No use in staying, now that he had a new route of escaping the conversation. Talking really tired him out. Back on stage, Ozpin continued his speech.

"…I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge - to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction." Confused conversation could be heard from the students at this point. What was he talking about?

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Ozpin stepped away from the mike, allowing Glynda Goodwitch to finish the instructions.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed."

The students lingered in the auditorium for just a moment more. Some were trying to decipher the meaning behind the words they were given. Others were staring around wondering where the ballroom was. A minority of them…let's say had other ideas.

_'Purpose, huh? Once I find what I need here, I'm gone.'_ Jo made as if to head off somewhere, but quickly turned around to follow some of the students. _'Damn, still don't know where I'm going. Shouldn't this place have some sort of map?'_ Little did he know, he did have a map on him, if he had bothered to check his scroll. With all the events thrown at him since the beginning of the day, it was a wonder he didn't forget the names of those he just met.

Sora was a different story. She had taken the professor's words to heart. She was finally out on her own, with no one to rely upon but herself. If she were to survive in this new world, it was up to her to charge into the unknown and blaze away. She left after searching for Trent a bit. How did he get out of the auditorium so quick?

The answer to that was that he didn't. After hiding away from Sora (and subsequently avoiding Nora and any of the girls that may have wanted to talk to him), he had taken to lying down on the floor again, face firmly planted in the ground. It was unnaturally calming to him, making him wonder if people who got knocked out just laid on the ground to avoid everything else.

At this moment he was one of the last people in the room, trying his best to take a nap while everyone was distracted. Alas, his moment's respite came to an abrupt end, as a shadow that had been watching him grabbed his legs and headed off in the direction of the ballroom. Whoever was dragging him must have had a sick sense of humor; he hit many corners and stairs, the person pulling his legs giggling all the while. He fell into unconsciousness shortly after, embracing the numbness of the dark that avoided all of reality. Not surprisingly, he would be the first one asleep in the ballroom.

* * *

Jo decided that he really didn't want to be here. He was currently in a sleepwear form of his kimono; honestly though, no one would be able to tell the difference anyhow. Lying next to him was the now awake Trent, who was gazing at the ceiling, trying to ignore the talk and chatter of everyone there. He really regretted sleeping early.

"So, how was your first day?"

"…"

"Well, some days are like that, y'know?"

"…"

"To answer each one: yes, I do know that you aren't talking; no, I can't decipher what your silence means; and what I'm doing is talking for you in order to entertain myself."

"?"

Trent covered his eyes with his over-sized beret, hoping the lack of sight would quiet the noise. It didn't, but one couldn't help but hope. The sudden outburst from some of the students didn't help either.

He looked up to see who was the loudest; that person was going to be on the top of his ignore list. He identified a blonde-haired girl and froze.

"…aniki."

"Huh, yeah, what's up?" Trent proceeded to point at the person of interest, further confusing Jo. "Huh, the girl? What, too loud?"

Trent shook his head. "Too big." Jo looked again, turned back to Trent, looked again, and again turned back to Trent. The smirk on his face was not a good sign.

"Not bad, little bro," Jo said, stroking an imaginary goatee. "I don't know what _you_ were looking at, but she is pretty hot."

Trent turned, a tint of red unnoticeable in the shaded room. It was probably better if he went back to sleep.

"What in the world is going on over here!? Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep!?" Why was fate so unkind to those who wanted to sleep?

""Oh, not you again!"" Trent eyed the group with unbridled fury. Of course, everyone else took it as annoyance. He really wanted to cut or shoot something. Or make them explode! Ooh, he was going to have a wonderful dream tonight. If the girls would shut up that is. He saw Blake with them, and also willed pain to descend upon her. No one was exempt from anger caused by want/lack of sleep.

"Oh, now you're on my side!"

"I was always on your side!"

"Yeah, what's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!"

"She's a hazard to my health!"

Jo grinned as he saw Blake move to blow out the last remaining light source. And darkness claimed the ballroom at last.

_**Omake**_

Blake blew out the candles, and the room was engulfed in the silence and darkness of the night. Until music blared out from the center of the room, accompanied by two male voices.

_Don't you worry about the dark!_

I will light up the night with the love in my heart!

_I will burn like the sun,_

_I will keep you safe and warm._

Many of the students (mostly the girls, but also a few guys) began to giggle in their sleeping bags. Others groaned at the new noise. And despite this, everyone was more or less entertained.

"SHUT UP!" yelled an enraged Cardin. Unfortunately for him, he could not be heard over the music playing.

_Like the smell of a rose on a summer's day,_

_I wi-_

The room was suddenly bathed in light, as a group of people had somehow simultaneously lit a candle, a match, a lighter, and strangely a finger at the same time. In the center of the room stood Trent and Jo, both with a finger pointed to the ceiling, heads tilted down at an angle. At the first sign of light, both had wisely chosen to stop singing. Unfortunately, none had the time to conceal their actions, resulting in the frozen pose both had somehow fallen into. Speaking of which, Jo was the person in possession of the glowing appendage.

"What are you two doing?"

"…singing." Replied the quieter of the two. Though he was worried at the situation, he knew that it was just a convoluted machination of the mind. Little did he know that the event may become reality if he didn't watch it. He chose to frown at this moment as well.

"Why were you two, especially him," a finger pointed to Trent, "singing?"

"Because it was too quiet."

…yeah. Everyone went back to their respective sleeping bags to sleep. If they ignored it, it will go away. Which is why they didn't see Trent or Jo leave the room. It was going to be a long night for them.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Gray: So. Been forever since I've updated this. Excuses? None at all. What I was doing? Reading other fanfiction. It's so easy for me to get lost here, I swear.**

**In all honesty: Life be crazy. Not gonna tell you my problems though, because you don't need me to dump my crap on you guys. See, I care. Sometimes. Bah.**

**In conclusion? Read and…well read. Or enjoy life. I like doing that the most.**

**45: Yeah, so we're here to tell you not to listen to this idiot.  
**

**Omega:**** And that we're some _friends_ that decided to say that this was actually been sitting here for a month and a half, not being uploaded due to laziness.**

**Gray:**** Assholes. So yeah, these guys are helping me out now. They don't have their own FFN accounts (I think), but they're awesome regardless. And to conclude again: Enjoy life!**


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